Here in Your Arms
by Black Licorice Addict
Summary: It may take a beauty to tame a beast, or in Mal's case, a pair of strong arms and a little magic.


**A/N: Not sure where this idea came from or where it was actually supposed to go, but I figured I'd share it anyway. I started writing it probably five months ago and had everything but the ending completed. I hope you enjoy the headcanons. Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Disney or the song by HelloGoodbye**

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 **Here in Your Arms**

 _I fell in love_

 _In love with you suddenly_

 _Now there's no place else I could be_

 _But here in your arms_

There was something about the way her arms wrapped around him that set his heart still and made him feel at peace with the world. He hadn't exactly inherited his father's curse, but the short temper bursts that occasionally flared up were certainly not from his mother's side. It had taken him years to carefully master the art of concealing his annoyance, but just below the surface that restless monster grumbled, ready to rear its head.

She had mercilessly teased him about his "bike, " saying it was a glorified scooter at best and nowhere near as hardcore as a motorcycle. But she never hesitated to jump on behind him, helmet fastened, arms securely around his midsection as her chin dug into his shoulder blade, watching the world speed by. Ben was surprised (albeit pleasantly) to find that Carlos had made some modifications to his bike (most likely at Mal's request) to increase the top end of its speed.

And if Ben floored the gas and Mal held on a little tighter, well, there were perks to not being good all the time.

It seemed as though the purple haired girl had a sixth sense when it came to Ben, like she knew exactly when he needed her with him to calm his nerves and provide a mental break from a world of responsibility. Mal seemed to know when a long drive through the winding mountain roads at high speeds wasn't enough. But she didn't exactly consider the implications to her alternative methods of breaking through his stress barriers.

The first time she broke into his room by scaling the outside building up to the second floor using the lattice from the ivy and jimmying the lock open with Evie's nail file, Ben nearly had a panic attack. The window was flung open with a graceless Mal falling over the ledge and straight into the newly crowned king's bedside stand.

Ben, who had been nodding off at his desk while pouring over legislature for woodland creatures, snapped to attention and grabbed the nearest weapon (a three hole punch) which he was about to use on the intruder when he realized who it was.

"Mal?" he dropped the office utensil and helped the girl to her feet. "Is everything okay?"

" _Peachy_ ," she retorted sardonically, pushing his hand aside and clambering up by herself. "I try to visit my boyfriend because I know how stressed he is, and he responds by attacking me with office supplies." She huffed, dramatically throwing herself down on his bed.

Ben did look guilty though, so she had already decided to forgive him after he leaned over and pecked her on the cheek. "I appreciate your concern, but I know you have a big history test tomorrow, and I don't want you to not have a full night's rest-"

"It's fine," she pulled a small wad of rolled up notes from inside her jacket. "I brought stuff to study while you keep doing...whatever you were doing."

A large grin broke out over his face. He was constantly amazed at what a truly wonderful person she was, but it was late, and he couldn't have his lady's honor in question considering how long after curfew it was.

"I always appreciate the company," he leaned over again, this time meeting her lips with his, "but I can't have your good name compromised." Before Mal's brain caught up with his words, Ben had already opened the outside door to call one of the guards inside.

It was difficult to say who looked more embarrassed over the situation: Mal or the guard. Ben looked entirely too pleased with himself over doing the proper thing that he never noticed the awkward shifting or wary glances between his girlfriend and their chaperone. The sorceress in training waited another half hour before the situation became too unbearable and she bid her beau goodnight. Both the guard and Ben protested vehemently against Mal leaving the way she came, but Mal was not about to spend another uncomfortable minute in that guard's presence as he awkwardly escorted her back to her dorm room. Mumbling a cloaking spell under her breath, she vaulted through the window, down the lattice, and hauled tail back to her room.

Despite Ben attempting to protect her name by having a chaperone in the room, word had somehow gotten out about her midnight visit, and the entire student body could talk of little else for the next two weeks. Multiple apologies and three boxes of chocolate covered strawberries later, Ben could approach Mal without her eyes flashing green at the mere sight of him.

The young king was relieved with the rumors died down and their relationship settled back into more of its normal routine. He'd missed her permitting him public displays of affection, even if it was just a brief peck on the cheek between classes or leaning back into his chest during their lunch hour. His mind seemed clearer and his focus sharper on matters of state and school when she was around. And Mal seemed to know exactly the sort of effect she had on her king.

Which was why the second time she broke into his room she didn't mess around with petty lock-picking tricks; Mal went straight for the magic. Though she would later regret her partial transformation to access her wings, Mal was not remorseful for the soundproof barrier she placed around Ben's room after magicking open the lock. Careful to close the window behind her, the purple haired girl cautiously approached the bed where Ben was in a fitful sleep. She had sensed him tossing and turning from the other half of the castle, and like an enchanted tug on her heartstrings, Mal had made her way back to him.

"Ben," she whispered, running a finger along his cheek and climbing on top of the comforter. "Ben."

His eyes flashed open, his hand reaching out to grasp her wrist, nails almost like claws. Mal tried not to flinch.

"Ben," she repeated, more insistently. "Look at me."

The king's eyes were darker, more wild, and they met Mal's green ones with a growing challenge. "Mal?" Ben's voice was hoarse, and he pronounced her name with a growl.

She ignored the way his canines seemed sharper in the faint light leaking in through the open curtains. "Yes," she murmured, placing a hand on top of his. "It's me."

Something clicked together mentally for her boyfriend as the hazel returned to his irises and his grip loosened around her arm. "Sorry, I must've been having a nightmare," he yawned, teeth looking completely normal. Mal relaxed and laid her head down on his shoulder.

"I know," she replied, taking his hand in hers and closing her eyes.

"You shouldn't be here. It's almost two-"

"Ben?"

"Yes, love?"

"I soundproofed the room, so if you even _think_ about calling the guard to _protect my honor_ or whatever, no one will hear your screams."

He sat up partially, and she met his gaze with her own, eyes slightly smoking green. "Did you really-"

Mal's eyes practically glowed in the dark, and Ben settled back down under all the blankets. "Alright." He wrapped the other half of the comforter around her. "But just this once." he yawned again, pulling her more tightly into his arms.

The third time she snuck into his room, Ben had no idea until he woke up at three in the morning and found her arms wrapped around his middle as she hugged him from behind.

"Mal?" he whispered. No response.

Carefully, Ben attempted to dislodge her arms but was only met with disgruntled muttering. Peaking over his shoulder, the young king saw a mess of purple hair spilling over his other pillow, her forehead buried between his shoulder blades. Knowing a losing argument when he saw one, Ben resigned himself to being the little spoon for the night.

And so it continued. On the worst nights, when the essays piled atop his mounting stack of bylaws for dwarves and goblins (who were slowly being transplanted back to Auradon), his ears would pick up the tell-tale creak of the window opening and his girlfriend now expertly navigating around the nightstand. Sometimes he would fall asleep first, her soft humming lulling him into an enchanted sleep. Sometimes it took all of his willpower to wait until her breaths became soft and quiet, a sweet song in its own right that quelled the beast in his chest even in the most stressful of weeks.

Honestly, as cheesy as Mal told him it sounded, Ben couldn't remember what his arms did before they held her.

So it was with some trepidation that he arrived in class one blistery winter day only to discover that Mal was suspiciously absent. From everywhere. She wasn't in any of their shared periods. She wasn't in the kitchen. She wasn't plowing her way through the snow on the Tourny field or stalking the library bookshelves.

The more Ben thought about it, the more he realized that Mal's other cohorts had been absent as well. Carlos hadn't been playing fetch with Dude in the snow, Jay was no where to been seen in the student gym, and he hadn't seen blue hair whip around corners indicating Evie was on the warpath.

Ignoring the fact that his last class was taught by Fairy Godmother and she would most certainly notice his absence (seriously, who needed to study Etiquette 307 when he'd aced the first two classes), Ben made his way to the girls' dormitory. Muffled voices echoing behind the heavy wooden door fell silent at the king's knocks.

Three seconds. Four. Five.

Ben raised a fist to knock again only to have the door crack open, Jay's face poking through the gap.

"S'up?" He asked with feigned nonchalance. Ben knew better.

"No one has seen you four all day. I'm positive Mal's in there, and I just want to know what's going on."

Jay shrugged. "Nothing's going on. Everything's just... _peachy_." He popped the "p" for emphasis.

Ben's protest was at the tip of his lips when Evie's voice called out, "Just let him in, Jay. Who knows, maybe he can fix it."

Ben didn't have time to ask what exactly he was supposed to be fixing when Jay grabbed him by the collar and pulled him inside, locking the door behind him.

The room was in disarray. It smelled like burnt fabric, and the edges of the curtains were singed along with the canopy of Mal's bed. Evie stood over a desk that had been converted into a makeshift chemistry lab complete with vials of chemicals, bunsen burners, and mixing plates. But what seized Ben's heart in a panic was the long, reptilian tail that curled around the base of Mal's bed and disappeared under the shockingly pink comforter.

The scales glimmered a deep plumb in the fading afternoon light with hints of magenta and lavender on the underside. They were quite beautiful, but Ben didn't have much time to consider that. He was too busy staring at the lump underneath Mal's blankets. Hazel eyes met each of the other occupants's gazes in turns.

"What is going on?" the young king demanded, his voice taking on the barest hint of a growl.

Evie opened her mouth at the exact moment a jet of fire emitted from beneath the covers. Carlos sprinted to the flaming drapes, fire extinguisher already in hand. The smoke lingered before Jay threw open a window.

"Dragon Pox," Evie remarked as though commenting on the weather or someone's poor fashion choices. "We're on our fourth unsuccessful test of the remedy, but it would be nice if SOMEONE-" she glared at Jay- "had grabbed the correct ingredients in the first place."

"Mal has Dragon Pox?" Ben queried, anger dissipating into incredulousness.

"Glad to know your ears still work, Benny Boo," came a scratchy voice that was muffled under a pile of pillows.

The king of Auradon cautiously approached the bed, hand hovering over the edge of the blankets. "Are you...did you really transform into a dragon?"

"NO DON'T-" Mal's protests were cut off when her boyfriend tugged the corner of the comforter back, revealing his girlfriend in a partially transformed state. Her tail came out of too-large sweatpants that Ben suspected she swiped from his room, and her wings erupted from her shirt, folded carefully along her spine. Both hands and feet had sharp talons instead of nails, and splotches of the rest of her exposed skin were covered in scales.

The overall effect was causing the monster in his chest to bubble to the surface; Mal was stunningly lovely, and the only thing preventing him from ravishing her on the spot apart from the other people in the room were the large pink spots sporadically arising across her body.

Warning bells were going off in the back of Ben's head, but he was so awestruck at the beauty before him that he didn't register the glowing green eyes or the fact that the other occupants were slowly backing away toward the door.

"I. Said. Not. To. Do. That." Mal hissed, her teeth sharp in the afternoon light.

She bent into a crouch, and Ben seemed to sense something was wrong about half a second before Mal spread her wings and lunged at him, claws extended. His reaction was entirely primal reflex. Releasing a deep, guttural roar, Ben used her momentum to redirect her path into the desk, causing beakers and flasks to crash and explode in blue and violet puffs of smoke. Mal's hold on him was strong, and she flipped him over her body, sending him into the post of Evie's bed. Horns pushed aside sandy brown locks. Darkened green eyes had narrowed into slits, and his nails and teeth matched hers in their potential to cause harm and destruction. A fire simmered low in her throat, and Ben watched as she began to focus on turning that blaze to him. Neither noticed their three friends rush out of the room, but the slamming door caught Mal's attention long enough for Ben to charge her, knocking over Evie's sewing table and chair. Her wings collided with the hardwood, tangling in the throw rug as her boyfriend tried to use his weight to pin her down. Ben had neglected to take into account her tail, which seemed to have a mind of its own and could wrap around his neck to allow Mal to escape his clutches.

The duo tussled on the floor for a few minutes, occasionally sending furniture, books, or unfinished sewing projects flying across the room. Mal tried to breathe fire but couldn't focus long enough before Ben had her immobilized, head turned to the side, wings and tail in a tight hold that distracted her once more. Eventually Mal's ailment caught up with her, and she was left breathing heavily, wings awkwardly pressed against the bedside stand, her tail pinned beneath one of Ben's knees and her arms held against the scorched hardwood by his hands, talons digging into the floor.

Glowing green eyes flickered before returning to a dull jade, the Dragon Pox taking it's toll on her already exhausted body. Ben, still alert from the adrenaline coursing through his veins, noted that his girlfriend had finally calmed down and that he should do the same. But her tail and wings didn't disappear, and neither did the long claws emerging from her scaly hands. Mal saw the hazel in his eyes flicker in and out with the darker monster she had been fighting only moments before. He wanted to revert back into his human counterpart, but her transformation triggered something that prevented the inner beast from returning to its slumber.

The purple haired girl gently tugged her right arm away from his hand, waiting for him to let go. He did, and she brought her hand up to cup his cheek, slightly scraping a claw over his jaw and eliciting a rumble from somewhere in his chest.

"'Mmm tired," Mal yawned, looking up to see his response.

Yawning was most certainly contagious, and Ben haphazardly reached for the comforter lying atop her bed. A few pillows toppled to the floor as he wrapped the ungodly pink blanket around them.

"Then sleep," he murmured, tucking a few wayward pillows under their heads and pulling her close to his chest. She snorted, plumes of gray smoke trailing from her nostrils.

"Only if you sleep too," Mal covered his hand with hers, feeling his claws return to normal human nails. If she had bothered to turn over, she would have noted that his horns had vanished as well.

"Mmkay," he agreed, eyes already heavy with exhaustion. "But then we're going to ask Fairy Godmother for a cure."

If she had been coherent, Mal would have told him no, that Evie was perfectly capable of brewing the correct potion to fix her. But the purr of Ben's voice and the warmth he exuded had already begun to send her off to dreamland.

And that was how the trio of misfits found them half an hour later, Fairy Godmother in tow looking absolutely appalled at the amount of destruction within the dorm room. Mal's tail was curled around one of Ben's legs, her wings folded between her back and his chest, his arms wrapped tightly around her.

Fairy Godmother took in the situation, mumbled a bibbity boppity boo to return the room to its natural state, and quietly told the three students to come get her when Mal and Ben were awake.

"It's a bad enough idea to wake a sleeping dragon much less try to deprive one of its hoard," the older woman muttered while heading back to her office, leaving her students flabbergasted at her calm demeanor.

It wasn't until she was safely alone in the confines of her office that Fairy Godmother let out a deep sigh. Walking over to a large bookshelf, she pulled out a thick leather tome, blowing the dust from the spine before laying it flat on the mahogany desk. The pages were quite yellowed, and somewhere toward the end of the volume she found the prophecy she was looking for, complete with illustrations.

With another exhale, the magical woman picked up the phone and dialed an all too familiar number.

"Belle speaking," came a cheery voice from the other line.

"Hello dear, it's Fairy Godmother."

"Hello! To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Fairy Godmother looked at the drawing of a dragon wrestling with an unnamed beast in the outline of a heart. "We need to talk..." she paused, taking a deep breath, "...about destiny."

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 **A/N: Hope you enjoyed! That is all, folks.**


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